1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
This takes place in 1990 to the present. It also takes place in the cities: New York City; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Boston; San Francisco; and the Guizhou Province, China. Yellow Face mostly involves DHH as he shows how he mistook marcus as asian and the consequences that follows.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face is when DHH changes Marcus's last name. This breaks the stasis because in the beginning of the play it's about how DHH was upset about white actors getting roles that were meant for asian actors and even wrote a letter to Cameron Mackintosh when he hired a white actor for an asian part. When DHH found out about Marcus being white, he didn't want to look like a hypocrite especially when he got Miss Saigon cancelled. He decided to fire Marcus but his lawyer advised against it, so the only other thing DHH could think of was changing Marcus's last name to a more "asian" name.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
This takes place at this particular time and place because this was during the time where Asian-Americans were still being heavily discriminated. This was also around the time where Asian-Americans were tired of white people playing parts that were designed for Asians.
4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatical question that must be answered by the end of the play is "Will the people find out about Marcus "Gee" not having any asian lineage?" and "Will DHH get backlash for casting him in the first place?"
5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang's "character" wanted a society where asians were able to play parts that was meant for asians instead of white people would playing parts that was meant for asian. He wanted to stop the "yellow face" from happening in Hollywood. As the play progressed he wanted to stop Marcus from lying to society about being Asian to get fame. Even though he started the lies he wanted to be the one to end he lies he started. Based upon the ending of the play, it seems like the obstacle that DHH was experiencing was "Me against myself". This is because at the end of the the play DHH admits to creating Marcus as an outlet for when his dad. It was also a coping mechanism for when his "face became his mask".
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.
The most theatrical moments in Yellow Face was the ending scene when the audience finds out that Marcus was a character he made up. This is theatrical because it's like a plot twist that the audience, me included, did not expect. This really made me think about how he was struggling with who he was along with the effect of society's viewpoint on asians. For me, this was also the moment where I had to stop and reevaluate what I just read and the play over all. The one thing I noticed was that the ending letter to DHH was similar to the letter in the beginning of the play, so that makes this scene even more dramatic to me.
This takes place in 1990 to the present. It also takes place in the cities: New York City; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Boston; San Francisco; and the Guizhou Province, China. Yellow Face mostly involves DHH as he shows how he mistook marcus as asian and the consequences that follows.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face is when DHH changes Marcus's last name. This breaks the stasis because in the beginning of the play it's about how DHH was upset about white actors getting roles that were meant for asian actors and even wrote a letter to Cameron Mackintosh when he hired a white actor for an asian part. When DHH found out about Marcus being white, he didn't want to look like a hypocrite especially when he got Miss Saigon cancelled. He decided to fire Marcus but his lawyer advised against it, so the only other thing DHH could think of was changing Marcus's last name to a more "asian" name.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
This takes place at this particular time and place because this was during the time where Asian-Americans were still being heavily discriminated. This was also around the time where Asian-Americans were tired of white people playing parts that were designed for Asians.
4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatical question that must be answered by the end of the play is "Will the people find out about Marcus "Gee" not having any asian lineage?" and "Will DHH get backlash for casting him in the first place?"
5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang's "character" wanted a society where asians were able to play parts that was meant for asians instead of white people would playing parts that was meant for asian. He wanted to stop the "yellow face" from happening in Hollywood. As the play progressed he wanted to stop Marcus from lying to society about being Asian to get fame. Even though he started the lies he wanted to be the one to end he lies he started. Based upon the ending of the play, it seems like the obstacle that DHH was experiencing was "Me against myself". This is because at the end of the the play DHH admits to creating Marcus as an outlet for when his dad. It was also a coping mechanism for when his "face became his mask".
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.
The most theatrical moments in Yellow Face was the ending scene when the audience finds out that Marcus was a character he made up. This is theatrical because it's like a plot twist that the audience, me included, did not expect. This really made me think about how he was struggling with who he was along with the effect of society's viewpoint on asians. For me, this was also the moment where I had to stop and reevaluate what I just read and the play over all. The one thing I noticed was that the ending letter to DHH was similar to the letter in the beginning of the play, so that makes this scene even more dramatic to me.